diff --git a/cython/CMakeLists.txt b/cython/CMakeLists.txt
index d5e8b8fac..ca5c0ecfb 100644
--- a/cython/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cython/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ if (GTSAM_INSTALL_CYTHON_TOOLBOX)
 
   # Install the custom-generated __init__.py
   # This is to make the build/cython/gtsam folder a python package, so gtsam can be found while wrapping gtsam_unstable
+  configure_file(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cython/gtsam/__init__.py ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cython/gtsam/__init__.py COPYONLY)
+  configure_file(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cython/gtsam_unstable/__init__.py ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cython/gtsam_unstable/__init__.py COPYONLY)
   configure_file(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cython/setup.py.in ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cython/setup.py)
   install_cython_files("${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cython/setup.py" "${GTSAM_CYTHON_INSTALL_PATH}")
   # install scripts and tests